As I pore over the map, I realize we must leave this morning. Anything beyond that will be disastrous. We’re already cutting it too close, because we’ve used up ninety-six of our two hundred-forty hours having wild monkey sex. Add that to the time it took to get to Sexlandia, and we’re only left with fifty-six hours until I have to kiss that sweet bonus and Matilda goodbye.
I’m just folding up the map when I hear Arabella humming happily. The sound squeezes my heart, knowing I have to put an end to the only precious few days of freedom she's had in her entire life. But as much as I want to give her a longer escape, I can’t. When she comes around the corner, she smiles at me, looking absolutely gorgeous in the early sunlight.
Well, maybe we could leave this afternoon …
She holds up the cooking pot. “I actually did pick berries this morning.”
Chuckling, I say, “I thought you royals didn’t talk about things like that.”
“We don’t.” Arabella grins and sets the pot down on the rock we’ve been using as a table. When she glances at the map in my hand, her smile fades. “I guess it’s time, right? I’ve kept you here too long already.”
Putting my arms around her waist, I give her a lingering kiss. “We really should get going, but if you promise to hike very fast, I think we can get away with another few hours in Sexlandia.”
She nods and forces a bright smile on her face, even though I can tell she doesn't mean it. “Brilliant. As wonderful as this has been, I am looking forward to a hot shower and a proper bed.”
“Are you sure you want to go back to your real life?” I ask, pretending I’m joking. “I thought maybe I'd converted you by now, and that you'd be keen to live out in the jungle for the rest of our lives eating fish and berries.”
“Don’t forget the grubs. There are plenty of those for both of us to live on for years.”
I lean in and kiss her again. “Don't tempt me. I just might burn the map.”
My stomach growls loudly, interrupting the moment.
Arabella pulls back and says, “I've got a cure for that.” She picks up the pot and puts it in my hands. “Dig in. I've already rinsed them,” she says proudly.
I look down at the berries for a second, then narrow my eyes and pick up the top few. “Black nightshade berries. Yum! Just to make sure, these were in bunches, right?”
“I thought the ones in bunches were the poisonous ones.”
“Nope, those are the singletons.”
“Damn.”
“You didn’t eat any, did you?”
Her cheeks flush, but she shakes her head. “Of course not.”
I stare at her for a moment, trying to assess whether she’s being entirely truthful. She’s not making eye contact, so my gut is telling me she may have eaten some, but I can’t exactly accuse her of it, now can I? “Thank God, because if you had, in about six to twelve hours, you’d be sicker than you’ve ever been in your life.”
She grabs the pot out of my hands and tosses the berries into the brush, then turns back with an overly enthusiastic smile. “Good thing I didn't eat them, then.”
“You sure you didn’t try even one? You can tell me if you did.”
“I’m not so stupid that I’d eat something without checking with you first,” she says, looking thoroughly offended.
“Sorry. I know you wouldn’t.” I give her an apology kiss, but her response seems stiff. “You okay?”
“Terrific.” Closing her eyes, she brushes her lips against mine. “How about we make use of our last few hours here? I want to drink in every drop of my escape before it has to end.”
* * *
We lay naked in each other's arms, recovering. Arabella doesn't have that dreamy smile she normally has at this moment, and I can tell something is off. I pull her close to me and kiss her on the forehead. “Listen, I think I know exactly how you feel.”
“I don’t think you do.”
“You’re a little sad that our time alone out here has to end so soon. I am too, but just because we’re leaving doesn’t mean we won’t see each other again.” Do not make promises you can’t keep, dummy. “I mean, I think there’s a really good chance the show is going to be a hit. If that’s the case, maybe we can travel the world together, sneaking away from real life, and filming more seasons?”
I pull back slightly so I look at her face, expecting her to be smiling up at me, maybe even with tears glistening in her beautiful blue eyes. But instead, she looks pale, and her mouth is sagging at the corners.
“Sorry, that’ didn’t come out right. Look, I know we haven’t talked about the future, but I want you to know you mean a lot to me. It would be complicated, but—”
She shakes her head, then scrambles to get outside. A second later, I hear her heave and a rush of liquid splashing the banana leaf floor.
Shit. She ate the berries.
23
I Tried Out the Jungle Detox Plan and Here’s What Happened...
Arabella
I am an idiot. A complete and utter fool. I've been evacuating an incredible amount of God-knows-what in a violent spray coming from more than one direction. I apologize profusely. That was disgusting. Please forget I said that. Apparently being delirious with a fever results in me forgetting appropriate protocol.
It's been hours now and even though he hasn’t muttered so much as an unkind word, I can tell Will is furious with me—which he has every right to be. I got cocky. I was prancing through the woods, carrying my metal pot, dancing and singing like Snow White, stopping when I saw a bird or small lizards to bid them a good morning. I was drunk with happiness and I got too comfortable out here, thinking I knew everything about Sexlandia, but I don’t. I know nothing. I thought I knew which berries were safe, but I was wrong. Dead wrong.
My stomach lurches at the thought of the berries and I curl my legs up, shivering and sweaty in this tiny tent. Why didn’t I check with Will first? And why did I lie about it? Stupid, Arabella. Stupid.
He clearly doesn't want to yell at me because of the state I'm in, but his entire demeanor is simmering with a silent rage. When I try to apologize, he brushes it off, and the last time he said, “I don't want to hear it. Just rest.”
I’ve messed everything up. Everything. Any second now he’s going to call for help, which will mean I’ve ruined his chance to ever waltz with Matilda again. And his career. And the careers of Mac and Tosh. And I’m likely going to die out here in this tent. Fuck.
No! Rally, Arabella. Rally now. Just get up and be better than this! You are Lara Croft. You are Wonder Woman. You can rappel and machete things with a machete and … and …oh fuck, you’re a complete weakling. Taken down by some tiny berries.
He unzips the tent and holds the flap open but stays outside. “How are you feeling?”
“A little better,” I say, even though it’s not true because at this moment I would welcome death.
“Yeah, probably don't lie to me anymore because it will definitely get you killed.”
“Just smother me with a pillow and put me out of my misery.” I close my eyes and hoping that the world stops spinning so quickly.
“Jesus, Arabella. You know, if you had told me the truth, we could've done something about it. But now, all I can do is bloody well wait.”
“Sorry,” I whisper, knowing it's completely useless to both of us.
“That's it. I'm calling for help.”
“No.” My attempt at sounding strong comes out as utterly pathetic, and I hate myself for it. “I refuse to be the reason that nobody gets paid.”
“This is insane. I’m not risking your life for some cash.”
“Give me a couple of hours. I actually do feel slightly better,” I say, forcing myself to sit up.
He stares at me and I know he’s trying to figure out if he can believe me or not. “No, forget it. I can't risk it.”
“Will, please, I'm begging you. Just give me a little more time.” I put my hand on his. “What I'm saying makes sense and
you know it. We can get on the raft and go as far as possible by river. That'll bring us closer to town in case I make a quick recovery, and closer to help if I don’t.”
He sighs heavily and rubs the back of his neck. After a horribly long and uncomfortable moment, he says, “Fine. I'll go collect some fresh water and some peppermint leaves for your nausea. If you can hold that down, we'll get on the raft. If you can't, I call for help.”
With that, he zips up the tent and I hear his footsteps disappearing. As soon as he's gone, I set my plan into action, forcing myself to get up and crawl outside. I drag myself over to the satellite phone. I grab the largest rock I can reach, lift it high into the air, then drop it directly on the phone. Then I stare, shocked at what I’ve done. I may have just killed myself with that one simple act because if I don’t turn the corner very soon, I’ll be dead by tomorrow.
“Okay, Arabella,” I whisper. “Woman up because it's do or die time.”
But first, a little nap right here on this nice dirt.
24
Only Fools Rush In…
Will
By the time I walk back toward camp, my pockets are filled with peppermint leaves and my chest is emptied of most of its anger. In its place is a huge lump of guilt. There's no reason for me to be kicking her when she's already down. It's not like Arabella is the first person to ever make a mistake. Besides, it’s my fault for letting her wander around out here alone. I knew better than to think she could handle herself.
I slice a nearby bamboo shoot, then fill both of our empty water bottles. When they’re full, I set back on the trail so I can apologize. The truth is, I don't like seeing her so weak and greenish and pale. There's a part of me that's well … a little bit … uncomfortable with that.
Okay, a lot uncomfortable.
Fine. Terrified. Is that better?
She matters to me in a way no one has before, and when she got sick, all I could think was: I can’t lose her. I don’t know if I’ll survive if I do. I need to apologize to her and tell her the truth, which is that I love her. As insane as that is to say or even feel after only knowing her for such a short time, it’s a fact. I love her, and I would give up everything for her. I'm about to give up my career, Matilda, and my friends, when they find out why we’ve been out here so long, leaving them all to wait. But somehow, if I know I have her, I can live without the rest.
The sky is growing dark as I reach camp. My eyes land on the sight of Arabella passed out on the ground next to the satellite phone. Christ, she must've been trying to call for help.
I drop everything and run over to her, kneel next to her on the ground. I touch her cheeks with both hands, finding them unusually hot and damp, even for this climate. “Arabella, come on, sweetheart. Don't do this, okay? You need to wake up.”
I grab a water bottle and pour some onto my hands and pat it onto her face, but she doesn’t wake up. I pour some into her hair, praying it will work. “Come on, Belle. Come on. Wake up already.”
My heart pounds in my chest and panic fills my blood as I stare at her lifeless body. A sob swells in my chest. “Do not die, Arabella! You can’t die.”
I lift her up a bit and kiss her cheek. “Wake up, okay?” I beg, my voice breaking. Nope. I can’t do this. I am not built for this shit. This is exactly what I get for falling in love with someone. “Come on, Arabella! Wake up!” I shout.
Her eyes flutter and she whispers, “Don't be mad.”
I shake my head, laughing through tears I never thought I would have. “Never. I could never be angry with you.”
She gives me a weak smile, even though her eyes are still closed. “Thank you. I love you, Will. I did it for you.”
Uh-oh. “Did what, Belle? What did you do?” I ask, the hair on the back of my neck standing up on end. I glance around, trying to figure out what she's talking about, then for the first time, I notice the phone and see the rock on top of it. “No, no, no, no, no. Tell me you didn't.”
“We can make it. I just need a bit more time.”
Her head lolls to the side and she passes out again, leaving me alone with my fear and fury.
Panic fills me, and for once in my life, my blood runs cold. It's too much for me to take in and I sit motionless next to her while I try to make a decision. I need to get her to a hospital as quickly as possible. The show is over. My career is done. But the only thing that matters is keeping her alive.
I stand and hop to my feet, then set to work taking apart the lean-to. I grab all of our supplies. Once I have everything loaded on the raft, I pick up Arabella, lay her down on top of a sleeping bag on the raft, and wrap her in the other one. Then I drag the raft to the river, and with one big push, set off into the darkness, hoping for a swift and uneventful ride through the night. By morning, we should be almost at a town along the river called Wasapi, where I can find a doctor. All I can do now is stay awake, steer the raft, and pray that she’ll make it until we get there.
25
Score-Keeping Men, Powerful Bananas, and Hemorrhoid Cream
Arabella
I wake to the sound of sloshing water and a cool breeze across my skin. The sun is up already, and it takes me a second to realize we’re traveling downstream on the raft. I have to crane my neck to see Will, who is sitting slightly behind me with his hand on the rudder. He has dark circles under his eyes, and he looks exhausted. I want to reach up and touch him, but the thought of lifting my arm seems unrealistically difficult.
My stomach growls loudly and I realize I'm ravenously hungry. “Will, I'm so sorry about all of this.”
He looks down, relief, filling his face. “Belle, you're awake.”
I sit up slowly and smile at him.
“I was so worried. Are you okay?”
I nod. “Yeah. I’m a bit weak, but I think I'm over the worst of it. I just need some water and something to eat. We can still make it.”
He shakes his head, keeping his eyes on the river. “No, we can’t. I'm taking you to the hospital in Wasapi.”
“What? No. We can't do that. We have to finish this,” I say, moving closer to him.
He winces, and I know it must be from my horrendous dragon breath.
“It's over, Arabella. There’s no possible way to get to Mbambole in time. We've gone too far in the wrong direction to make it now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We’ve been heading north for a couple of hours already.”
Oh, bollocks. I shake my head vigorously. “No. Why would you do that? I told you I just needed a few hours to recover.”
“Did you really think I'd risk your life for a TV show and some cash?” he asks, his voice shaking with anger. “Do you even know how sick you've been? You've been passed out and feverish since yesterday afternoon, Arabella. You're weak and dehydrated, and you need medical attention.”
“No, I don’t. I’ll have some water and bananas, and I’ll be right as rain.”
He scoffs. “You must be delirious if you think that would work. There’s no possible way you can do an eighteen-hour hike through the jungle like this. Or are you expecting me to throw you over my shoulder and sprint to the finish line, hoping you survive along the way?”
I set my jaw, defiance simmering in my empty tummy. “I'm going to be fine. We can still do this.”
“You don’t get it. You think this is a game, but it’s life and death out here. Why can’t you seem to understand that?”
“I made a mistake, okay, but there’s no need to be an arse about it.”
“Oh no?” he asks, his eyes wild with anger. “No need? I’ve been awake all night trying to keep you alive and keep this raft from hitting a rock or bottoming out, all the while watching for hungry crocodiles who might just decide to pop their heads over the top and take a bite out of you. And you know what? It wasn’t just the one mistake. By my count, it’s three giant screw-ups that totally fucked us both. First you ate the berries, then you lied to me, then you smashed the phone for reason
s I cannot even begin to understand.”
“I did it because I knew you’d call for help.”
“Yeah, I would have, because help is exactly what we need right now!”
“I'm not going to lose you that money and ruin your career,” I say, picking up the bunch of bananas and ripping one off.
“Oh, please don’t act like you care about me. You wanted to have your own version of a fantasy spring break.” He changes his voice to imitate me. “Will, let's stay here for a few days, please. Just the two of us. I need this, Will.”
I fight back tears and keep my voice as steady as I can. “I didn't make you stay out in the jungle having sex with me. You were every bit as on board with that idea as I was.”
“Well, that's what happens when a guy thinks with his second brain.”
“Oh, so none of this is your fault? It's all my fault, and your penis’s fault, but you had absolutely no say in any of it?”
Shaking his head at me, he leans in. “I can't even believe you're mad at me right now. Me. The guy who’s trying to save your royal arse. You totally fucked all of this up for everyone, and yet, somehow you have the nerve to be angry with me. For what? Trying to get you to safety? Putting you before myself? Which thing is it you’re so offended by?”
“I appreciate that but—”
“But what? I should be able to magically get us both across the finish line? I know I'm amazing, but Christ, Arabella! There are limits to what any human can do. I’m not one of your butlers, you know. You can't just order me to do what you want and expect me to hop to it. Yes, Your Highness. Right away, Your Highness.”
Royally Crushed: A Crazy Royal Love, Book 1 Page 17
